Kaizer Chiefs’ head coach Nasreddine Nabi has detailed the strategies he and the club’s management plan to implement for integrating academy players, with the Soweto giants identifying a pool of promising talents within their DStv Diski Challenge [DDC] squad for the first team.

The reserve team is on a quest to secure their first-ever championship, and Amakhosi boasts an impressive array of talent in their youth ranks, featuring players such as Naledi Hlongwane, Takalani Mazhamba, Kabelo Nkgwesa, and Aden McCarthy, all considered strong candidates for elevation to the senior team.

McCarthy, serving as captain of the DDC team, has been vital to the club’s title aspirations and was included in the matchday squad during the semi-final against Mamelodi Sundowns. The Chiefs’ coach emphasized the significance of carefully incorporating gifted young players into the senior lineup while undertaking squad rebuilding.

“This season, the strategy we shared with the board involves establishing a strong team while simultaneously monitoring our young talents, the DDC players, and providing them with opportunities. You probably noticed Duba shine as one of the standout performers in the match against Sundowns,” Nabi explained, with translations provided by Khalil Ben Youssef.

“Aden [McCarthy] is part of our plans, and we continuously strive to include DDC players by allowing them chances to join our training sessions and assessing their readiness without fixating on their age. If they deserve the opportunity to play, they should be allowed—age should not be the determining factor.

“There are many talents, including [Nkosana] Mbuthu and Pelembe [Ozoemena Manqoba]. Let’s not overlook Mbuthu; you may recall his remarkable performance against Yanga during pre-season.”

While Nabi appreciates the importance of blending youth with experience, he advised caution in rushing to field academy players at a prestigious club like Chiefs, where the stakes are high.

Furthermore, the 59-year-old coach mentioned that McCarthy was primed to start against Sundowns, but two of his players opted to play through injuries.

“If the pressures at Kaizer Chiefs weren’t so overwhelming, it would be easier to give younger players their chances, but considering the high stakes and previous outcomes, we must be judicious about when we introduce them to the starting lineup. Placing them in tough situations could jeopardize their careers, so we need to approach it thoughtfully,” the Tunisian coach articulated.

“There are many young prospects, but we are waiting for the right moment to showcase them. Aden was almost 90% ready to start this match. He was supposed to be in the lineup, but I thank the medical team for preparing [Edmilson] Dove and Zitha [Kwinika] for us.

“I also want to commend the players, as some who are injured might hesitate to participate in a crucial match like a semi-final against Sundowns, but the resilience and commitment shown by Dove and Zitha warrant recognition.”

Amakhosi will head to the Eastern Cape to challenge Chippa United in Gqeberha at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday (17:30), aiming to end their four-match winless run and get back to winning ways in the Betway Premiership.